Out of Control
by Cariane
Summary: Kess comes to the Institute where she finds love and learns more about her past and herself. She masters her powers and finds a place where she can call home.


**Out of Control**

**Chapter 1: Off the Streets**

Kesskallome was going on her second week with no home. She had just been fired from her serving job at a small bar with live music after too many run-ins with customers. The attic space above the restaurant had been where she lived but now she was on her own and as the November nights got colder and colder she was becoming more and more worried about where she would spend the winter. She re-shouldered her faded army bag that held her few belongings; a few changes of clothes, soap and toothbrush, and all the books she could fit into it. As she finished her walk through Central Park in New York City she pulled her oversized trench coat tighter around her. "This thing is not cutting it anymore," she said as she walked, "I'm going to freeze if I don't get something warmer."

She left Central Park as darkness began to fall and wandered the streets looking for a safe spot to settle down for the night when something caught her attention. "Alright Joe, I'll see you tomorrow," said a man leaving a Macy's Department Store to another. Kesskallome squeezed herself behind a dumpster in an alley and watched the two men leave, she moved quickly and was able to slip inside the door before it completely closed and the two men drove away unknowingly. "Jackpot," she smiled and looked around the dark store. She started going through the new winter coats that were set out in the women's section and found a particularly warm brown one. "Fur lining, zipper and buttons," Kesskallome admired, "Yes please." She took the coat off the hanger and tried it on, "Perfect fit," she laughed and folded her old one into her bag.

She started to head back to the door where she had entered when a pair of earrings caught her eyes. "Well aren't you pretty?" she said and headed to the jewelry counter. Silver hoops inset with tiny diamonds were glittering in the light from the display. Kesskallome hopped over the counter and took out her lock picking kit and proceeded to liberate the earrings from their case. She put them through two of the many holes in her ears and grabbed another set of little red flower earrings from the same case and put them in the pocket of her dark jeans. She hopped back over the counter and decided to test out a few of the perfumes that were still out.

She leaned against the counter and sprayed the contents of one green bottle into the air, "Light and flowery," she commented on the scent. A few feet away and high above her she heard the faint electrical sound of a security camera turn. "Shit," she muttered under her breath and looked up.

"Carl, we got a young one," said a middle-aged security guard to his partner.

Carl walked over to the monitor that was set with an image of a young girl with pitch black hair leaning at the perfume counter. "Looks like it, she's pretty dirty don't you think, Jed?"

Jed squinted through his glasses, "Yeah, probably homeless," he said and started to get out of his chair, "Well, let's get to business," he grumbled as the petite shoplifter looked up at the camera.

Kesskallome shoved the perfume into the pocket of her coat and grabbed her bag from the counter as the door to the security desk opened just a couple of feet away from her. "Alright, no running honey," Carl said as he and Jed slipped their tasers out of their pockets. Kesskallome smiled sweetly and took a step toward them. "There we go, it won't be so bad if you just give back the jacket and the perfume."

Kesskallome slipped out of the trench coat and started to move forward holding it out to them with her right hand while she secretly grabbed a handful of discount necklaces from a bin. "I'm so sorry officers," she said and as Jed reached out for the jacket she swung the necklaces in their faces and ran as they tried to dodge the jewelry.

"You! Get her!" Jed shouted as he and Carl ran after her.

Kesskallome heard the automatic locks on the doors shut when Carl touched a button on his walkie-talkie. "Damn it," she whispered under her breath. She put her head down and covered her face with her arms and ran full speed at the door, breaking through the glass into the cold night air.

"Shit, did that little girl just break through the door?" Jed huffed, "That glass is at least an inch thick."

Outside Kesskallome cursed again, one of the security guards had apparently contacted the police because she could hear sirens just around the corner. She took jumped onto the dumpster and down into the alley and started running as one cop car whipped around the corner in front of her. It was pure reaction that sent her leaping onto the hood of the car and running over it. Had there not been a second car in the area she probably would have gotten away that night but as she hopped off the back of the first car the cop from the second pushed her into the wall. "I don't think so honey," he said and turned her around to put handcuffs on her.

"Quit calling me honey," Kesskallome growled and pushed herself away from the wall with her legs, sending her and the officer backwards. She started to run with her hands still handcuffed but the officers from the first car had already gotten out and were able to restrain her.

The ride to the Police Station was less than pleasant for Kesskallome. She sat with her hand-cuffed arms wrapped around her legs at her chest. "You're in a bad situation you know," said the cop who she had knocked down as he drove, "You owe them a lot of money breaking that door, good luck finding a way to pay it back." Kesskallome kicked the screen that separated them. "Hey now, no attitude," he scolded as she scowled. Kesskallome was fingerprinted, had her picture taken and led to a room where drunks were commonly held until they would decide what to do the next day. Kesskallome had been allowed to keep her bag and she fluffed it up as a pillow so she could go to sleep, though not before sneaking into it the red earrings she had taken from Macy's that the officer had failed to find.

While Kesskallome tried to sleep on the bench in the cell the officer, Lieutenant Christ, was on the phone. "I guess she's about 5'4", long black hair, she looks pretty skinny, probably hasn't had a good meal in a little while but she's strong as hell, doesn't look it but she busted through a thick glass door…That's the one you're looking for?...You sure you want her? She has bit of an attitude problem, probably put a knot the size of my fist on the back of my head…Well, it's your school, if you want her you can have her, but we're going to need someone to pay for the door…Alright, we'll see you in a little bit."

At 2 AM Kesskallome was woken up by Lieutenant Christ, "What the hell?" she asked angrily, grabbing her bag, "I'm not doing anything anymore, I'm just sleeping."

"You have some visitors," he replied and led her by the arm to an Interrogation Room.

He shut the door and for a moment Kesskallome was left alone staring at the huge, one-way window. She set her bag on the table and seated herself in the chair, never taking her eyes off the window. She could sense a presence outside that mirror that was interested in her. The fact that she had visitors had unnerved her because she knew not a single person in the entire country, much less the city that would know or remember her.

Charles Xavier sat in his wheelchair in the opposite side of the window staring as intently at Kesskallome as she was staring at him. Ororo put a hand on his shoulder, "Does she know we're here, I thought you said she wasn't telepathic," she whispered.

"She's not," Charles reassured her, "Just acutely sensitive, not only to smells and sounds but also vibrations, just like a serpent is."

Lieutenant Christ had been down the hall, collecting the record that had been made about Kesskallome and he returned as Charles finished speaking, "Alright, no family, no history, held a job at some rock club dump, I don't know anything else about her than that she's an aggressive little thief," he said and handed Xavier the folder. "Want to go in?" Ororo rolled Charles' wheelchair into the Interrogation Room after Christ. Kesskallome kept steady eyes on Charles that only moved to Ororo's face once. "This is Professor Charles Xavier and Ororo Munroe," Christ began, "They run a school for gifted children and they have been kind enough to offer to pay what you owe Macy's if you will attend their school."

"I know that you're a very special girl Kesskallome, in many ways, and it would be our pleasure to have you stay at our school," Charles said. _I know that you have a gift my dear, one that not many people know about, I want to help you understand that gift and be able to use it. All the students at the Institute have gifts like yours, you won't be alone._

Kesskallome made only a small acknowledgement that she had heard Charles' voice in her head. Her eyes narrowed, "I don't think I'm the sort of student you're looking for," she said in a strained tone, "I'm not gifted."

"It's not that sort of gifted," Ororo smiled, "It's a place for any students who wants to learn. We are like a family and we'd love to welcome you into it."

Kesskallome snorted, "Sounds like a cult to me," she said.

"Watch it," Christ said, "They're heard out of the goodness of their hearts to pay your debt. You know you'll be working until you can pay that off and from what I can tell you don't have the kind of work ethic it's going to take. Besides, it's them or foster care, you're not 18 until December 7th and I'm certainly not keeping you here."

Kesskallome clenched her jaw and thought for a moment. She put her feet that had been up on the table on the floor and leaned over, "Well, it's not like I have a lot of choices here is it?" she said, "So I guess I'm going to school."

"Wonderful choice," Charles said, "You will not regret it." Kesskallome followed Ororo and the Professor out to their car and sat in the back while they got the information from Macy's they would need. Ororo drove from New York City to the more rural area that their Institute was located in. "I know that you're from Egypt Kesskallome, what made you decide to come to New York?" Charles asked in an attempt to start conversation.

"How did you know where I'm from?" asked Kesskallome angrily. She did not like the fact that these people she had never seen before in her life knew more about her than anyone else on the continent.

Xavier smiled, "Because I'm a mutant too," he replied, "My gift is that of telepathy, when magnified by a special machine it helps me to locate other mutants, such as yourself, and bring them to the Institute to learn. It also helps me to sense certain things about them. That and you still have a distinct accent."

"No I don't," Kesskallome said defensively, trying hard to keep her accent from showing anything else about her, "And I'm not a mutant," she added, "I don't do any of that crazy shit."

"It doesn't help to deny it Kesskallome," Ororo said, "Your gift can be a curse sometimes, believe me I know, but when you can use it properly it's an amazing thing."

"Look, thanks for paying off this debt to society, if you want to pay the rest then be my guest, but I'm not here to be a part of your family. I don't have one and I don't need one, I promise," Kesskallome replied, "Are we close? I'm exhausted; Mr. Lieutenant back there didn't let me sleep too much." The rest of the ride continued in silence.

When they arrived at the mansion Kesskallome couldn't help but stare in wonder, it was enormous, bigger than any building she had ever seen. A huge, circular driveway, fountain in the middle, hundreds of windows and wrought iron gates; needless to say it was not what she had expected. "Welcome home," Charles said, smiling despite her earlier refusal of their family.

"I'll say," she muttered and grabbed her bag as Ororo parked the car in the garage. The first thing that Kesskallome saw when she got out of the car was a black and white 1967 Shelby GT Mustang, and she nearly fainted.

"She's a beauty, isn't she?" said someone who had just entered the garage. Kesskallome turned to see the waiting handshake of a tall, young man with brown hair and strange red sunglasses. "I'm Scott," he said, hand still waiting, "The Professor said you would be arriving tonight and I thought I'd wait up and welcome you. If you want I can take you for a drive in it tomorrow."

Kesskallome ignored the handshake, "No thanks," she said. The car was a work of art but it was no reason to get stuck in a place she had no intention of staying at.

Scott let his hand drop and exchanged a look with Ororo who shrugged. "Ororo," Charles said, "Why don't you show Kesskallome to her room, I'm sure it's a late night and we can talk in the morning about classes."

Kesskallome followed Ororo with her head down, memorizing the hallways and what led where. She touched the air with her tongue lightly but could sense nothing familiar that would tell her how these people had known about her. The Professor's story about a machine was obviously fake, there's was nothing like that on the planet, but she still could not figure him out. He didn't feel threatening, nor did anyone she had encountered but that did not mean she should let her guard down.

"Alright," this it you're room," Ororo said unlocking a door, "This is a boys hall, but the room that connects to your bathroom is empty. We're a little pushed for room right now, I hope you don't mind."

Kesskallome shook her head as she gazed around her room, a huge four-poster bed took up much of the room, with a soft, dark green comforter that she could not wait to fall asleep in. A desk, vanity and other pieces of furniture crowded the room as well, all the same dark wood as the bed. "It's fine," Kesskallome replied, "And that's the bathroom?" she pointed to a door across from the bed.

"Yes it is," Ororo replied, "So get some sleep, there are pajamas in the drawer and a few other clothes, and you're about the same size as Kitty so she donated some things. Tomorrow we will talk about classes and then we can get you some of your own clothes. Have a good night."

Once Ororo left Kesskallome she slung her bag onto the bed and made time for the shower. She had been without a job or home for two weeks and while she had certainly stayed clean there was nothing like a real, hot shower in a real, clean bathroom. She scrubbed the dirt off of her dark, tan skin and all the smoke and pollution out of her long black hair. After she dried herself with a soft white towel and braided the hair that reached almost to the back of her knees she made for the pajamas but her reflection caught her eye. She leaned over the sink and stared into the mirror. Loose strands of hair fell around her face and in her dark brown eyes, Kesskallome had never considered herself very pretty but after the shower she didn't so much mind looking at herself. She was petite in size but very curvy for her height. She had been a while without a good meal and her body was a little bonier than usual. She stayed in very good physical condition and ran a hand over her tight stomach which grumbled in answer. "Might as well take advantage of being here while I can," she said and pulled on the black shorts and a pink camisole that this 'Kitty' had given her as pajamas, and found her way downstairs to the kitchen. The entire mansion was dark and she couldn't hear a single person in the halls.

She opened one of the few refrigerators and pulled out a hunk of cheese and found some bread in a cupboard. She poured herself a glass of milk and sat at the table to enjoy her snack. "I always need my midnight snack too," said a voice from behind her.

Kesskallome turned to see Ororo pulling a box of cereal from the cupboard. "It's almost 3AM, not a midnight snack."

Ororo shrugged, "Let's not get into the details." She sat down next to Kesskallome at the table, "So you don't like new places or people," she said, "You're missing out on a lot."

"I'm fine with new places and people, I just don't need them like you seem to think I do," Kesskallome replied.

"I wish you'd give us a chance," Ororo said, taking a bite of her cereal, "It's really not so bad here. I bet you'll find that family and friends isn't such a bad thing."

Kesskallome finished her food and threw away her paper plate and washed the cup, "I think I'll take my chances on going without," she said, "I've tried the family thing and it doesn't always work out the way you'd planned it to."

The next day Kesskallome slept until 3 PM. She opened her sleepy eyes to find herself in the warm, soft bed that she had been hoping was a dream. _Guess I'm still here_, she thought and put on some of the clothes that were left for her. She donned a pair of jeans that actually fit her and had no holes in them along with a black tank and green sweater. After brushing her hair and cleaning up she opened the door to the silent hallway. The Professor had said something about classes so Kesskallome assumed that that's where the students were. Outside her room she almost tripped over a box with a note on top. "Here are some books to look over and a class schedule to fill out. 

Once you're up Charles would like you to visit his office, the second door on the right of the downstairs hallway. – Ororo"

Kesskallome sighed and looked at the class schedule, she did not plan on attending classes here, she'd gotten out of buildings with more security so this school should be a piece of cake. But she was interested all the same and ended up checking boxes for English Literature, Calculus, History and Intro to Music Appreciation. Some of the books were for her classes, there were several novels for English and a History book. Kesskallome tossed the box onto her bed and headed to the office of the Professor.

"I'm glad you came," Charles said, "I figured you would be sleeping late. I hope your room was to your liking?"

Kesskallome nodded, "Yeah, it was nice to sleep in a real bed," she replied, "So you needed to see me for something?"

"Yes, Kesskallome I was hoping that you could tell us a little more about yourself and your mutation," Charles began, "I think-."

"No," Kesskallome cut him off, "You can use whatever witchcraft you used to find out where I'm from to get that information. And I'm not a mutant, I'm just a regular old girl who would like to get back to her life."

Charles sighed, "I can understand your resistance, Kesskallome. But can you promise me you will just give it a try? An open-minded, open-hearted try?"

Kesskallome bit her lip, the tone in his voice was so genuine she had to agree, "Alright, I'll try it here, but I mean what I say when I say that I'm not the kind of student you want. My temper gets the best of me sometimes."

Xavier smiled, "That's something that we can work on together, I'm just glad that you agreed to work with us. There's a few people I'd like you to meet by the way. Logan, Kitty would you come into my office please?" he called to the room adjacent to his.

A burly man with dark hair and an angry looking face walked in followed by a girl, slightly younger than Kesskallome with a brown pony tail. "Hi, I'm Kitty," she smiled, "Storm said that you got some of my old clothes. I love your hair by the way, I can't grow mine that long, yours is gorgeous."

Kesskallome returned her smile and blushed, "Yeah, it can be a handful to brush. And thanks for the clothes, that was really nice of you."

"And this is Logan," Charles introduced the other man.

Logan looked Kesskallome up and down and put out his hand, "Nice to meet you," he said in a gruff voice.

Kesskallome nodded and shook his hand, "Same here."

"Alright, Kitty I know that you need to return to class, but maybe a little later you can help Kesskallome get better situated?" Xavier said.

"Sure Professor, oh and can I call you Kess?" she asked her fellow female mutant.

Kesskallome smiled, "Yeah that would be fine," she said remembering the last person who called her Kess.

_She smells like him,_ Logan communicated mentally to Charles as Kitty talked to Kess, _You know what I'm talking about. Why is that? Are they in league together?_

_I highly doubt that Logan, _Charles replied, _And she's only been in the states for about 2 years, there's no indication that she would know anything about Sabertooth. You may be overreacting_. "Alright Kess," Charles said as Kitty left, "Do you have your classes chosen?"

"Yes actually," Kess said and handed him the list, "I just think you should know, I have only had maybe 2 years of actually being in school. I mean, I can read and write and do math, but…"

Charles smiled, "It's quite alright Kess, I'm sure that you will find our classes very adaptable."

On Kess' first day of class she wore the jeans from Kitty, but put on her lucky Tiger Army tank top and a black sweater that only hung to her midriff. "I'm going to need all the luck I can get," she said as she put all of her earrings in, "Certainly not wearing those," she looked at the red ones she had stolen.

Kitty walked her to her first class, Music Appreciation and then hurried off to her Advanced Linear Methods class. Kess was the first student there and took a seat in the very back and began looking through the textbook that she had been given, _A Timeline of Musical Inspiration_.

"Hey, are you new?"

Kesskallome looked up and into the cool blue eyes of a boy with shaggy brown hair and wide smile. "Yeah," she said.

"Nice, I'm John," he put out a hand.

Kess wanted to tell him to back off but she remembered her promise to the Professor and shook his hand, "Kess," she said as unfriendly as she could allow and breathed a sigh of relief as other students started in. John took the seat in front of her and next to him sat a boy that looked almost exactly like Conor Oberst, of the band Bright Eyes, with his long brown hair and light brown eyes.

"Hey Seth," John said, "This is Kess, she's new."

The Oberst look-alike smiled, "Hey Kess, it's nice to meet you. You have beautiful eyes, if you don't mind me saying," Seth complemented her.

Kess smiled and let her lids lower over her eyes, "Why thank you Seth, I think the same could be said about you."

The smile faded from John's face and he turned around in his seat as class began. After Music Appreciation Seth walked Kess to History then left for his Marine Science class. John took a seat next to Kess as Ororo started to teach. "So are you from around here?" John asked.

"No," Kess said and stared straight ahead.

"Ok, so where are you from?"

"Why do you need to know?" she asked, still not making eye contact.

"I'm just trying to make conversation," John replied and started to take notes.

"Then make it with someone who wants to talk to you," Kess snapped.

"Point taken," John snapped back.

After History Seth met Kess back at the door, "Walk with you to lunch?" he asked.

"Absolutely," she replied and smiled. Seth put out his arm for Kess and the two walked to the cafeteria, John trailing behind them.

The cafeteria was full of people, Kess hadn't thought that many people could fit inside one room, she got her lunch and sat at a table with Seth, Kitty, John and a few other people. Kess smiled and acted as nicely as she could manage around so many new people.

"So Kess, tell us where you're from," Seth said.

Kess smiled and looked at John, "Well I was born in Egypt, and then I lived in Spain for a little while until I came to New York," she said.

"Oh what was Spain like?" Kitty asked, "I've always wanted to visit."

"I was really beautiful," Kess replied, "And the people were so nice. There's a lot to do there."

Kess talked a little more with Kitty about Spain while Seth turned to John, "She is hot," he said, "So much better than any girl here."

"Well her attitude isn't so nice," John said.

"Hey, you know it's the feisty ones that are the most exciting," Seth winked.

"Don't be a dog," John said, "She just got here."

"And I'm leaving in three weeks, so no harm done," Seth replied, "You worry too much."

"Whatever," John said and concentrated on eating.

"So Kess," Seth said, smiling at his friend, "Next weekend is the Fall Formal, I'm sure you've been asked by fifty guys already but here's making it fifty-one. Want to go with me?"

Surprised by his offer Kess smiled and took a quick glance and John who made no reaction. "I would really like that," she replied.

"This is so great!" Kitty said, "Now we can go shopping!"


End file.
